Literary Road Map of Islington

Celebrate our borough's long, rich heritage of authors, screenwriters, poets and writers who live or work here

Literary Road Map of Islington celebrates our borough’s long, rich heritage of authors, screenwriters, poets and writers who have lived here, and the literary works which have been inspired by or set here.

Search the list below to see the novels, plays and poems which were written about Islington and the authors, such as Andrea Levy (1956-2019), who were born or lived in the borough, or Charles Dickens (1812-1870, who used various locations around Islington in their novels.

Also, look at our interactive map to see the literary connections to your area of Islington. To do this click on ‘Show Layers’, ‘Recreation & Leisure’ and check the ‘Literary Road Map’ box.

 

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  • Children/Young adult

Bawden, Nina

1925-2012

The Ice House (1983) and other titles. The rail campaigner and children’s author lived in at 22 Noel Road and set The Ice House in Islington.

Browne, Eileen

Handa series (1995-) The author and illustrator lived at 62 Hanley Road from 1976-1994, where she wrote and illustrated Handa’s Surprise.

Craig, Joe

1981-

Jimmy Coates series (2013). Children’s author lives in Tufnell Park.

Cargill, Perdita and Honor

Waiting for Callback series (2016-). The mother and daughter writing team live in Barnsbury.

Greenaway, Kate

1846-1901

Under the Window (1879) and other titles. The children’s book writer and illustrator lived at 147 Upper Street and 11 Pemberton Gardens.

Higson, Charlie

1958-

The Enemy series (2009-). Islington features throughout Higson’s post-apocalyptic, young adult horror series.

Hughes, Thomas

1822-1896

Tom Brown’s Schooldays (1857). Tom Brown stays at the Peacock Inn (a coaching inn located at the site of 11 Islington High Street) before he sets off for Rugby School.

Jozefkowicz, Ewa

1987-

Mystery of the Colour Thief (2018). The children’s author lives in Highbury.

Levy, Marianne

Ellie May series (2012-) The children’s writer lives in Islington.

Matthias, Sarah

1973-

A Berlin Love Song (2019). The young adults’ writer lives near Highbury Fields.

Moodie, Susanna

1803-1885

Spartacus (1822) and other titles. The children’s author and abolition activist lived in Myddleton Square in 1832 before emigrating to Canada. [CYA, NF, P]

Muchamore, Robert

1972-

CHERUB series (2004-). The author was born in Tufnell Park.